Agitating apparatus for tanks



T. H. MUMFORD, JR.

AGITATING APPARATUS FOR TANKS.

APPLICATION man MAR. 2. 19-21.

1,4A3LU22. Patanted 0015.3, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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T. H. MUMFORD, JR.

AGITATING APPARATUS FOR TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 2. 1921.

Patented Oct. 3, 1922,,

3 SHEETSSHET 3.

THOMAS H. MUMFORD, JR., 0]? WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AGITATING APPARATUS FOR TANKS.

Application filed March 2, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, THOMAS H. MUM- FORD, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookland, Washington, D. C., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Agitating Apparatus for Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for agitating liquids in tanks, and is more particularly adapted to be applied to tanks or the like used in the electroplating and allied arts.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an agitating apparatus of the character set forth which shall be particularly adapted to insure a perfect circulation of the electrolyte at all times through'the electroplating apparatus.

A further object of this invention is to provide an agitating means for electroplating tanks in which an efficient action of the electrolyte upon the plates is secured and the plates supplied with fresh electrolytic material at all times during the plating operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an agitating means for electroplating tanks adapted to operate under pressure, thus insuring a complete agitation of the electrolytic material.

With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the peculiar combination and arrangement of the various related parts of an agitating apparatus for tanks as hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts wherever used,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly-in section, of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown partly in section on line 3-3 of The numeral 4: designates a suitable electroplating tank provided with a central well 5 and supported in the usual manner by integral supports 6. The upper edges of the tank walls are provided with the usual Serial No. 449,152.

Wooden sills upon which rest the conductor rods 8 carrying, by means of hooks 9, the anodes 10 and the cathodes 11.

Conveniently located, and preferably as shown, is a pump 12 of any suitable type, havzng a plpe 13 leading therefrom and communlcating with a pipe line 14 extending over three sides of the tank 4 and having a cutoif valve 15. In communication with the pipe 14: are smaller pipes 16--17, which n turn connect with a quadrangular pip- 1ng member 18 extending around the inside edge of the top of the tank 4 and provided with depending extensions 19 which communicate with upwardly extending perforated members 20, the purpose of the imperforate section 19 being to force any accumulated sediment out of the lower portion of the pipe 20. The function of the pipes 20 will he hereinafter explained.

A second pipe 21 extends from the pump into the lower portion of a second tank 22 provided with a straining screen 23 suitably mounted on brackets 24. In the center of the tank 22 is a partition 22 provided with a lip 22" over which the solution is adapted to flow through asecond straining screen 23, thus ensurlng a clean liquid.

Near the top of the tank 4 is provided an overflow pipe 25 adapted to d scharge into the tank 22 and having a valve 26.

A pipe 27 provided with a valve 28 connects the tank 22 with the central well 5.

Supported by suitable brackets 29 upon the walls of the tank 4 are uprights 30, two

of which are upon each end of the tank and adapted to support tracks 3132.

Suitably mounted upon each of the tracks 31-32 is a cross head 33 connected by means of longitudinal bars 34, which support hang ers 35 carrying gridirons 36 formed of perforated piping which extends downwardly into the tank 4 and upon either side of the anodes 10 between the anodes and the cathodes 11 the perforations upon the gridirons opening toward the cathodes 11 and the anodes 10.

Intermediate the perforated pipes 36 of the gridirons 36 are imperforate piping sections 36" which support the gridirons 36 and also serve as pressure chambers in order to equalize the pressure out of the periterated pipes 36, thus efl'ectually clearing the perforated pipes of any accumulated sediment. The outside perforated pipes are provided with cap nuts 36 at their hanger feet.

. Movement is imparted to the cross head 33 by any suitable device, such as a crank arm 37, causing a reciprocation thereof and a corresponding movement of the bars 34, which in turn cause the piping gridirons 36 to move across the face of the cathodes 11.

Upon the ends of the tank 4 a pipe 38 extends upwardly from the pipe 14 by a universal coupling 39 of any suitable type to a second coupling 40, from which extends a second pipe 41 carrying a third universal coupling 42 mounted in a bearing 43 carried by the cross head 33. An extension of the pipe 41 designated at 44 extends from one cross head to another and is in turn connected with the perforated gridirons by pipes 45.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The liquid electrolyte is placed within the tanks 4-22, and the pump 12 operated together with the crank arm 37. The pump forces liquid through the pipes 14 and into the pipes 18 from which it 1s sprayed in a circular path around the walls of the tank 4 from the perforated pipes 19.

The pipe 25 serves as an overflow pipe for the tank 4.

A certain amount of the electrolyte bearing sediment will be forced out of the pipe 27 into the tank 22, where it is strained by the screen 23 and returned to the tank 4 through the pipe'21, and the pump.

The several gridirons 36, by means of the mechanism above described, are traveling back and forth across the faces of the oath odes 11, the electrolyte being forced out of the perforations as shown by the arrows, thus insuring at all times a fresh supply of liquid and decreasing the possibility of the formation of any excess accumulation of gas at the point of contact on anode and cathode.

Due to the fact that the electrolytic solution under pressure is driven directly into the faces of both the anodes and cathodes and not simply washed by them, a more effective preventive of gas is accomplished.

I realize that considerable variation of the specific details herein set forth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is not my intention to limit myself to the exact con struction herein shown and described, but to construe the following claims as broadly as'the state of the prior art will permit.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character set forth the combination with a tank, of a plurality of pipes in said tank, said pipes having openings adapted to discharge electrolyte under; pressure into said tank, means for supporting said pipes and means for causing a reciprocatory movement of said pipes.

2. An agitating apparatus, comprising a tank, a pipe extending around the sald tank, a plurality of depending pipes extendlng therefrom and discharging into said tank and means for'supplying electrolyte under pressure to said p1pes.'

3. In an agitating device for an electrolytic bath, a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a plpe extending around said tank, a plurality of de pending pipes extendin from said pipes and discharging into said tank and means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure to said pipes.

4. An agitating apparatus, comprising a tank, a pipe extending around the said tank, a plurality of depending perforated pipes extending therefrom and means for supplying liquid under pressure to said perforated pipes.

5. In an agitating device for an electrolytic bath, a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a pipe extending around said tank, a plurality of depending perforated pipes extending from said pipe, and means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure to said perforated pipes.

6. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising in combination a tank, a

plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, and of means between each of said anodes and cathodes for supplying electrolyte under pressure to said tank.

7. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising in combination a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, and a plurality of electrolyte supply means between each of said anodes and cathodes, and means for supplying said electrolyte under pressure thereto.

8. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising in combination a tank, a

plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a plurality of electrolyte supply means between each of said anodes and cathodes for supplying electrolyte under pressure and means for reciprocating said supply means across the faces of the anodes and cathodes.

9. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising in combination a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, and a plurality of electrolyte supply means between each of said anodes and cathodes for supplying electrolyte under pressure, said means comprising piping -gridirons provided with perforated portions facing said anodes and cathodes.

10. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising in combination a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a plurality of electrolyte supply means between each of said anodes and cathodes for supplying electrolyte un- 12. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a track mounted above said tank, a cross head on said track, a plurality of piping members carried by the head and depending and opening into the tank, means for reciprocating the cross head and the piping members carried thereby, and means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure to said piping members.

13. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank. a track mounted at each end of the tank. a cross head on each track, means connecting the cross heads, a plurality of piping guides mounted on the connecting means and extending into the tank for delivering electrolyte under pressure, and means for reciprocating the cross heads and the guides carried thereby.

14:. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a track mounted at each end of the tank, a cross head on each track, means connecting the cross heads, a plurality of piping guides mounted on the connecting means and extending and discharging into the tank, means for reciprocating the cross heads and the guides carried thereby, and means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure to said piping guides.

15. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a track mounted at each end of the tank, a cross head on each track, means connecting the cross heads, a plurality of piping guides mounted on the connecting means and extending into the tank, means for reciprocating the cross heads and the guides carried thereby, means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure through said piping guides to the tank, and means for controlling the electrolyte supply to the guides.

16. An agitating apparatus for electrolytic baths comprising a tank, a plurality of sets of anodes and cathodes in said tank, a track mounted at each end of the tank, a cross head on each track, means connecting the cross heads, a plurality of piping guides mounted on the connecting means and eX- tending and discharging into the tank, means for reciprocating the cross heads and the guides carried thereby, means for supplying an electrolyte under pressure to said piping guides, and additional means for causing a circulation of the electrolyte Within said tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAQ' d. MUMFORD, Ja- 

